"Same Ole Love (365 Days a Year)" by Anita Baker

Song#:  3059
Date:  03/21/1987
Debut:  94
Peak:  44
Weeks:  14
Genre:  R&B, Adult Contemporary



Pop Bits:  Baker's single "Caught Up in the Rapture" was the second released from her successful second LP Rapture. While it did well at R&B (#6) and AC (#9), it stalled just inside the Top 40 at Pop. Hoping to gain back some of the audience that sent her "Sweet Love" to #8 at Pop, this third single was released. Once again, R&B (#8) and AC (#6) welcomed the song with open arms. At Pop, the single didn't quite click and this time around it left Baker getting blocked out of the Top 40. Still, the song's success kept album sales going and by this point in time it was already certified at double-platinum. It would eventually sell over five million copies.

ReduxReview:  Easy...breezy...Baker. This is another quality tune from the Rapture album. I remember when I first heard the tune I didn't think it was single-worthy. But then after a couple of listens it started to sink in. I liked the way the relaxed, pop verse moved into the funkier chorus with Baker jamming the "365 days of the year" into a few beats. The song lagged in a few points so I think the arrangement could have been a little more interesting. Baker sometimes had a tendency to either mumble or slur her words together and she does that in this track, which can be annoying. Yet somehow it still worked. I'm not surprised it didn't do better at Pop. This was a more sophisticated track that was slightly funky with shades of contemporary jazz. It probably didn't play well on the radio sandwiched between Bon Jovi and Madonna.

ReduxRating:  7/10

Trivia:  Just prior to this song's release, Baker's Rapture album earned two Grammy awards. Before she could issue out her next LP, Baker would end up winning a third Grammy at the following year's award show. In 1987, she would join the gospel/R&B family quartet The Winans on their song "Ain't No Need to Worry." The song appeared on The Winans' fifth album Decisions and it would be released as a single. It did well at R&B reaching #15. The hit helped the album reach #1 at Gospel, #30 R&B, and #109 Pop, which was their first appearance on that chart. The song would go on to win The Winans and Baker a Grammy for Best Soul Gospel Performance, Duo or Group. The Winans family was from Detroit and in addition to the four brothers that made up The Winans, there were six other kids in the family. Some of them had success in music as well, particularly BeBe and CeCe Winans who worked together as a duo and also as solo artists. Both are multiple Grammy winners.

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